My Simple Trick for the Best Roasted Carrots—and It Works Every Time

A beautiful platter of roasted carrots is an easy, delicious, and healthy accompaniment for so many meals. Serve this veggie side with roasted chicken, grilled pork or tofu, or even burgers for a colorful, easy-prep alternative to fries. Of course, roasted carrots are also right at home on a holiday table.

However, sometimes the reality of roasted carrots doesn’t match the promise. The outsides are a delectable golden brown, but take a bite and the insides are tough and woody. I’ve been there, but thankfully I figured out a simple trick for making sure roasted carrots are perfectly tender on the inside and packed with flavor.

A Kitchen Staple to the Rescue

The first thing to know is that your oven is a dry heat environment. That is often exactly what we want when roasting vegetables. That dry heat concentrates the sugars in, say, broccoli or cauliflower giving them tons of flavor. But they still retain some tenderness even after they’ve been roasted to golden brown perfection.

Carrots on the other hand often just get tough and unpleasant to eat. The trick to succulent carrots is to—for part of the time—give the carrots a steamier environment. It’s super easy to do. Just prep the carrots like you normally would for roasting: scrub, peel if you’d like, slice them into similar sized pieces, toss with olive oil, salt, and any other seasonings, and place them on a sheet pan. 

Then—and here’s the trick—cover the sheet pan tightly with aluminum foil. I usually use two pieces and overlap them slightly before tucking in the edges all around. Roast the carrots at 400 or 425°F for 15 minutes. Remove the foil (carefully! super hot steam will escape), and continue roasting until the carrots are golden brown, about 20-25 more minutes. 

Why This Trick Works

In essence, with the foil on the sheet pan, you’re steaming the carrots. Moisture gets trapped under the foil and the carrots are well on their way to tenderness. Then, with the foil off, the dry heat of the oven works its magic, concentrating the sugars in the carrots and making them super sweet and browned in spots. 

If you want to cook from a specific recipe try this one. To keep it simple, you can skip the shallots and all the toppings.

I’ve also tried this foil trick with Brussels sprouts. It makes the middle of the sprouts tender and lush, while the exterior leaves still get some browning. I don’t consider the foil strategy as essential for the sprouts—sometimes I want truly crispy roasted Brussels—but with carrots this is the only way to go.

How to Season and Serve Roasted Carrots

Before roasting, all carrots really need are olive oil and salt. But here are a few easy ways to add more flavor before you slide the foil-covered sheet pan in the oven:

• Sprinkle with black pepper and/or crushed red pepper.
• Toss the carrots with whole cumin seeds; this makes the carrots super fragrant and appealing.
• Toss the carrots with curry powder or garam masala.
• Add fresh woody herbs like thyme, rosemary, or sage to the sheet pan. No need to pick off the leaves. Just add the whole sprigs and discard after roasting. Some of the leaves will have come off and stick to the carrots, which is exactly what you want.

After roasting, the carrots are great as-is. Or, try adding one or more of these toppings to really level up your veggies:

• A sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
• A drizzle of honey or, even better, hot honey
• Chopped tender herbs like cilantro, parsley, chives, or tarragon
• A few spoonfuls of pesto
• Finely chopped nuts like pistachios or walnuts
• Sesame seeds or pepitas